The invention relates to a method and a device for enveloping a bundle of electrical cables and fixing it along an elongate support, especially for the electrical power supply to apparatus and/or the transmission of electrical signals in a motor vehicle.
The expression xe2x80x9cbundle of electrical cablesxe2x80x9d designates a set of electrical wires or of cables placed side-by-side or grouped together with one another in such a way as to extend side-by-side along a common path. Generally, each cable or wire is placed beside the others over only a part of its length, and deviates away from them over at least one other part of its length so as to reach elements to be connected electrically. The present invention relates more particularly to the enveloping and the fixing of a set of such side-by-side parts of cables or wires.
In motor-vehicle applications especially, it is necessary to envelop the bundles of cables in order to prevent friction between them and adjacent elements, which is due to vibration and to the movement of the vehicle, causing damage to the cables or wires on the one hand, and causing noise to be emitted on the other hand. This enveloping can be carried out by means of adhesive tapes wound in a spiral around the wires in such a way as to cover them at least partially, and cover them completely in places. Another function of the adhesive tapes is to make the wires of the bundles integral for their mounting and their retention in the vehicle. These adhesive tapes may be expensive, and the taping operation may be expensive in terms of manpower. Moreover, the sound deadening obtained is not always entirely satisfactory.
As to the fixing of the bundle onto its support, which is, for example, the crosspiece supporting the cockpit in the case of a bundle serving to connect equipment of the dashboard of a vehicle, this is achieved by metal or plastic clips distributed along the length of the bundle. This method of fixing is itself also relatively expensive in terms of manpower and does not provide perfect immobilisation of the bundle over its entire length.
The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks.
The invention especially envisages a method of the type defined in the introduction, and makes provision for the bundle to be inserted into an elongate, elastically deformable, channel-shaped shell, through a longitudinal entry aperture, the shell being itself fixed to the support in a position where the width of the said entry aperture is less than the diameter of the bundle.
When the diameter of the bundle varies along the length of the shell, the width of the entry aperture is less than the maximum diameter of the bundle.
Optional characteristics of the invention, which are complementary or alternative, are set out below:
the shell is fixed to the support before the bundle is inserted into it. Thus the shell can serve as a support for assembling and transporting the wires or cables constituting the bundle, in the various configurations thereof corresponding to the options of the vehicle.
the bundle is inserted into the shell before the shell is fixed to the support.
the shell is fixed to the support by inserting it into an elongate housing provided in the support, through a longitudinal entry aperture the width of which is less than the outside diameter of the shell when the shell is surrounding the bundle.
the said housing is provided in an extruded part of the support.
the shell features two rims turning away from one another outwards from the edges of its entry aperture respectively, which are suitable for facilitating the elastic dilation of the aperture during the insertion of the bundle and/or for protecting parts of wires moving away from it at their exit from the support.
the shell is extruded.
the shell is made of cellular material.
the shell is made of polyethylene.
A further subject of the invention is a device for implementing the method as defined above, comprising a bundle of electrical cables, an elongate shell in the form of an elastically deformable channel, suitable for receiving the said bundle through a longitudinal entry aperture, and means for fixing the shell along an elongate support, in a position where the width of the said entry aperture is less than the diameter of the bundle.
Advantageously, the means for fixing the shell comprise an elongate housing provided in the support, suitable for receiving the shell through a longitudinal entry aperture the width of which is less than the outside diameter of the shell when the latter is surrounding the bundle.